Flexible fluid-joint.



C. G. HAWLEY.

n FLEXIBLE FLUID JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6,1905.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

o. G. HAWLEY.

FLEXIBLE FLUID JOINT.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 5.

900,533. Patented o@t.6,1908.

SSSSSSSSSSSSS 2.

Q IMHIHWHIIHIML CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR,BY DIRECT ANB MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To BARCO BRASS AND JOINT COMPANY, OECHICAGO, ILLINOIS, IA OOR- j PORATION.

FLEXIBLE FLUID-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oc/c. e,- 1908.

Application filed May 6,1905. Serial No. 259,190.

To all whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. HAWLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of vvIl1ino1s,haveinvented a certain new, useful, and Improved Flexible Fluid-Joint, ofwhich the following-is a full, clear, and eXact description, such aswill enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make anduse the same. v p

My invention relates to improvements in flexible joints for fluid ipes,and particularly for such as are emp oyed in the conveyance of fluids'under low pressure.

In flexible joints for low pressure pipes or conduits the pressurewithin the fjoint or coupler members cannot be depended upon lwhich maybe provided with packing means that may be depended upon to preventleakage at the jointunder all circumstances.

The particular Object of the invention is to provide a ball and socketAfluid joint in which there shall be"employed a gasket `ring composed ofnon-metallic material, such as hard rubber, so pressed upon that itshall always firmly engage both members of the ball and socket joint.

With these objects in view, :'my invention consists in a flexible jointconduit for various fluids, and comprising a ball memberl and a socketmember equipped4 with a s uitable gasket that is interposed between saidmembers, there being a spring'which presses or draws upon the gasketinsuch manner as to hold the same in firm contact with both members of thejoint. And further, my invention consists 1n various constructions andin combinations of parts, all as hereinafterl described and the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specificaparticularlypointed out in Figure l isa sectional view of a liei'zible fluid jointembodying my invention, portions ring, 5.l I also, provide a ballmember, 6

of the ball member and the gasket device being shown in full lines; Fig.2 is a partial transverse section of the joint' on the line ofl Fig. 1:Fig. 3 is'another sectional View of the joint, illustrating the gasketdevice in modified form; and Figs. 4 and 5 are. .detail sectional views,illustrating. still further modifications` of the gasket device.

In carrying out my invention I provide a socket member, 2, having asubstantially cylindrical portion, 3, and a shank, 4. The ends of theportions 3 and 4, are threaded, as shown, the former receiving thesocket having a shank, 7, and seated in the socket,

hollow to form a lluid conduit. Both parts, 3 and 5, are preferablyprovided with polygonal portions, for instance, see Fig. 2, by whichthey may be screwed together. The ring, 5, 1s provided with an Openingwhich is larger-than the shank, 7, on the ball, fand this ermits theball toswing or Osoillate wit-hm the socket member. The .socket member,2, is provided -with a smooth, internal cylindrical wall, 8, and betweenthis wall and the upper or inner portion of the ball, 6, I arrange agasket, 9. The gasket is preferably made of non-metallic material `inthe nature of hard rubber, any suitable compound being employed. Thegasket is a complete ring, having ac'ylindrical outer 4surface orperiphery, reduced in diameter near-the lower orouter end of the gasket.The inner surface of the gasket isv convex, to t the ball.

It will be noted that the lower portion of the socket vmember is ofgreater internal diameter 'than' the upper portion, and that there is anannular shoulder, 10, between the cylindrical surfaces, 8 and 11.4Within the space thus afforded, I arran e a coil or spiral spring, 12,whichexerts i sforce upon the gasket, 9, tending to draw the samedownward or outward, so as to cause the gasket to firmly press upon boththe Cylindrical wall, 8, of the socket member, and the 'spherical groundsurface of the ball member. I may employ various means for connecting ithe spring, 12, and the gasket, 9. The connecting device which I preferis illustrated in Figs. 1 land2,'the same comprising'a split ringorsleeve, ,14, of sheet metal. At the top, the's lit ring or sleeve isprovided with s an-.lnwar lyturnedlange, 15, whichenters 5', 1n r1ng, 5.As shown, both members are the groove, 16, in the periphery of thegasket. The lower edge of the ring, 14, has

4an outwardly turned flange, 17, and the the gasket is formed, orlconnected to the gasket by the vin-turning of its flange, 15. Such aconstruction, however, necessitates the operation of a machine toconnect t-he ring to the gasket, and it is for this reason that I preferto split, cnt or open the ring, as shown in Fig. 1. The-split ring maybe readily clasped around the gasket before theygasket is inserted inthe socket member, 2, and when once inserted therein, will be held inplace through being confined between the gasket and the adjacent wallsof the socket member. In assembling my device, the spring isfirst'placed within the socket member. The gasket,`with its flangedring, is then put into place, and the ball is afterward inserted,whereupon the socket ring, 5, may be screwed upon the socket member toretain the ball therein.

My flexible joint possesses the advantage of being easy to dis-member,the removal of the socket ring or cap, 5, beingy the only operationrequired to free all of the parts.

My joint may be employed in high pressure pipes or conduits, but isparticularly intended for the conveyance of low pressure fluids, thepressure of which upon the packing gasket, 9, could not be depended uponto force the gasket tightly 'against the coupler members, unlessassisted by the pressure or draft spring. I desire to direct particularattention to the fact that the spring and the metal part or connection,14, are both at the outer or free end of the gasket, and therefore arenot exposed to the action of the fluid in the joint or coupling. Toprevent an accumulation of fluid in the cavity beneath the gasket, Ipreferably provide the follower or socket ring, 5, with one or moredrain holes 18.

While, as stated, Iprefer that form of the joint which is illustrated inFig. 1, I do not intend to'confine my invention thereto, as theinvention is capable of embodiment in numerous other forms, such, forexample, as that of Fig. In this ease (Fig. 3) I provide the gasket,9,with an internal groove, 19, and employ a conical connector ring, 20,having an outwardly turned flange, 20', at its upper edge, and anotheroutwardly turned flange, 17', at its lower edge. The spring, 12, isarranged between the flange 17', and the shoulder of the socket member,2, as in Fig. 1, the pressure thereof acting to draw the gasket downwardand outward, as' above described. The construction of-Fig. 3 isadvantageous, in so far as it provides wider bearing surfaces betweenthe gasket and the coupler members.

If desired, the connector may be formed integrally with the gasket, asillustrated in Fig. 4, wherein the gasket, 9, is shown to have a deepflange or edge, 21, having the lateral flange, 22, to receive the gasketspring. Stillanother construction is illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein thespring flange, 23, of the gasket, is formed by extendin or widening a.sheet metal ring, 23, by which the lower, thin edge of the gasket, 9, isarmored.

The drawings serve to show that the gasket spring flange may be formedin 'many ways, and it will be obvious that the spring may be of adifferent form and differently located, all without departing from thespirit of my invention. For this and like reasons, I do not confine myinvention to the specific constructions herein shown and described. Itis also obvious that my invention is not, of necessity, limited to balland socket joints, but may be used in many forms of rotary jointswherein gaskets of wedge-like form in cross section require to bepressed into engagement with the coupler members.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A conduit joint of the class described, comprisingsuitable members, in combination with a gasket of wedge-like form incross section, arranged between said members, and a spring arranged atthe small end of said gasket and adapted to draw the same intoengagement with said members, substantially as described.

2. In a conduit joint of the class described. suitable joint members, incombination with a gasket of wedge-like form in cross section, arrangedbetween said members to close the joint, a flange at the small end ofsaid gasket and a suitable spring engaging said flange and acting todraw the gasket between and against said members, as and for the purposespecified.

3. In a conduit joint of the class described, suitable joint membershaving a wedge-like space between them, in combination with a gasket ofwedge-like form occupying said space to close the same and adapted to beforced into place by fluid pressure within the joint, and a springinterposed between the wall of one of said members and said gasket atthe outer end of the joint, in position to be protected from the actionof fluids, substantially as described.

4. In a ball and socket joint of the class described, a socket memberhaving a ball socket, in combination with a ball member seated in saidsocket and having a shank, a gasket ring of wedge-like cross sectionwithin said socket member and engaging the same and said ball member,and a spring arranged in the outer end of said socket member adternalcylindrical'wall and an annular shoul der, inl combination with a ballmember arranged within said socket member and having a shank, a gaskethaving surfaces that engage said cylindrical wall and said ball member,a spring flange upon said gasket projecting in the direction of theshank of the ball member and a spring arranged between said flange andsaid shoulder, substantially as described.

6. In a ball and socket joint of the class described, a'sockfnemberhavino` an internal 'packing surface and provided at its outer end witha socket member, in combination with a ball member seated in said memberand having a shank projecting therethrough, a gasket engaging saidpacking surface and said ball member and 'adapted to be tightened on.both by fluid ressure within the joint, a flange upon sai gasket and aspring within the outer end of said socket member adjacent -to the shankof the ball memberand pressing upon lthe gasket flange .to draw and holdthe gasket between said members, substantially as described.'

7. In a ball and socket joint of the class described, a socket memberhaving a substantially cylindrical internal wall and an annularshoulder, in combination with a socket ring attached to the outer end ofsaid.

socket' member, a ball memberv within said socket member and seatedin'said rin ,la' gasket arranged within the inneren said socket memberand between the ball member and said cylindrical wall, a flange upon theouter end of said gasket adjacent to said socket ring, and a sprmg.arranged in the outer end of said socket member between the flange ofthe gasket and the annular shoulder of said socket member, substantiallyas described.' l

8. In a ball and socket joint` of the class described, a socket memberhaving a substantially cylindricaly internal wall and provided wlth aninternal annular shoulder, in combination with a ball arranged withinsaid socket member, a gasket fitting said ba'll member and saidcylindrical wall, ametal ring engaged with said gasket rand lprovidedwith a flange, and a spring arranged between said flange and saidshoulder, substantially as described.

9. In a ball andvsocket 'joint'of the class described, a socket memberhaving a suitable socket, in combination with a ball member, a.

gasket arranged between the internal Wall of said socket member andthe'ball member, an open or split metal ring engaging with said gasketand provided with a flange, and a spring Vengagmg with said flangeWithin said sorket member, as and for the purpose speci.

10. In a ball and socket joint of the class described, a socket member,in combination 4with a ball member, a gasket fitting said members, asplit ring having a flange held 1n en agement with said gasket by theinterna wall of said socket member, and a spring acting upon the outervend of said ring, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. In a ball and socket joint of the class described, a socket memberhaving vinternal cylindrical Walls, 8 and 11, and provided with anannular shoulder, 10, in combination. with a ball member, a gasket, 9,arrangedy between said ball member and said wall, 8, said gasket havinga peripheral groove, a

'split sheet metal ring having aflange occupying the groove in saidgasket,l said ring, being provided with a flange and the spring arrangedbetween said flange and said shoulder, 10, substantially as described.

1Q. In a ball and socket joint of the classv described, a socket memberrovided with a cylindrical internal wall, 1n combination inner end. ofsaid socket member between said cylindrical wall and said ball member, asheet metal ring flanged upon said gasket and the spring engagin saidring within said socket member, su stantially as described.

13. A ball and socket joint of the class described, compri'sng'a socketmember having a suitable ball socket, in combination with a ball 'memberseated inthe socket of said socket member, a gasket ring within saidsocket member and engaging -the inner or wet end of Ithe ball member,and means at the outer or dry end of said gasket ring for drawingthesame into engagement with both said members to close the jointtherebetween 'at all times, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set -my hand, this 4 day of April,1905, at Chicago, county of Cookl and State of Illinois,

